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Preventing High Cholesterol |
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You can help prevent high cholesterol by:
1. Eating a diet low in saturated fat
2. Exercising
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Treatment Plan
Your doctor weighs your cholesterol levels with other risk factors such as age, family history, smoking and high blood pressure in deciding how to treat you.
Generally, LDL cholesterol should be lower than 160 mg/dL if you have one risk factor such as high blood pressure. If you have two or more risk factors, LDL cholesterol should be lower than 130 mg/dL. People at high risk because of diabetes or cardiovascular disease should have levels lower than 100 mg/dL. HDL cholesterol should be higher than 40 mg/dL (for men) and greater than 50 mg/dL (for women) and triglycerides less than 150 mg/dL.
Depending on your risk factors, your doctor may urge a diet low in saturated and trans fat and cholesterol, regular exercise and a weight management program if you're overweight. If you still can't lower your cholesterol, medications may also be used.
People with high triglycerides may need to limit their intake of simple carbohydrates to no more than 45 percent to 50 percent of total calories. Your doctor will advise you.
More on Cholesterol Would a Cholesterol Drug Help?
What to Do About Your Cholesterol
In the Encyclopedia: Cholesterol-reducing drugs
Atherosclerosis
Coronary stenting
Hypercholesterolemia
This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.
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